


Black tie

by Port_in_a_Storm



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Boys In Love, Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Fluff, M/M, tumblr prompt fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-07-28 09:57:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7635808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Port_in_a_Storm/pseuds/Port_in_a_Storm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Robert is invited to a work do, he assumes Aaron will be his 'plus one'. Whilst happy, Aaron's anxiety and feelings of not being good enough rears its head. Help comes in the form of Cain and Moira.</p>
<p>Based on a tumblr prompt</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The first of a possible spam of fics that you guys will see from me as I work my way through the amazing prompts I've been sent. This is based on this: I would please like a fic where Robert gets invited to a fancy business do and he doesn't think twice about taking Aaron as his plus one. But...Aaron, while pleased, gets a little freaked out with how posh everything is going to be, he's not going to fit in, he'll only let Robert down... Only he has his meltdown not to Robert but when he goes to borrow a tie from Cain. Cain and Moira help him out :-)
> 
> I hope you enjoy this, nonnie!

Aaron had barely stepped into the back room of the pub before Robert was pouncing on him with a kiss, and shoving a small sheet of cream card in his face.

‘Look at this, Baby!’

‘Win the lottery, did you?’

Robert’s smile didn’t shift in the face of Aaron’s bemused voice. ‘Have a look.’

Aaron snatched the card from Robert’s hand. ‘ “Mr Sugden”,’ he read, ‘ “we would like to formally invite you to attend a social gathering being held by Mr Grange.” What is this, a business do?’ 

‘Only you could make something like this sound like a knees up at the pub,’ Robert said almost adoringly. ‘Yeah, it’s a business thing. To kind of, I dunno, bring together all of the companies working for Grange. But it’s a lot more social than that.’ He took back the invitation scanning it quickly. ‘It said something about… oh yeah, here: “This invitation, of course, extends to a plus one.” You’ll come, won’t you?’

‘Me?’ Aaron said, in the process of taking his dirty, sweaty hoodie off. ‘Seriously?’

Robert shrugged. ‘Well, who else would I take? You’re my plus one, aren’t you?’

‘I’ve been called worse I guess.’

Robert grinned and pulled Aaron towards him by his shirt, the hoodie now draped over the sofa. ‘C’mon. We’re a couple. You’ll always be my plus one.’ He kissed his boyfriend gently and Aaron smiled, a light blush tinting his cheeks. ‘So?’

‘Sure, okay.’

‘Don’t get too excited will you? Do yourself a mischief.’

‘Who says that anymore?’ Aaron scoffed, but his attitude lessened in the face of Robert’s wide eyes and pouting lips. ‘Of course I’ll be your plus one, you soft git.’ But the smile which had formed as a result of Robert’s obvious enthusiasm faded as Aaron’s eyes drifted to his dirty hoodie. He wasn’t cut out for this kind of thing: formal invites and French Handscript, black ties and champagne sipping. He could barely carry a conversation at the best of times with his Mum, let alone do something as prim as make small talk. He couldn’t do it. ‘When is it?’ he asked Robert who was typing out an RSVP via email.

‘Tomorrow night, 7pm. Thank you so much, Aaron. I know it’s not really your thing but I can’t wait to show you off.’

‘I’m not some trophy boyfriend, Rob,’ Aaron objected, though he felt warmth spread through him at the thought that, far from Robert wanting to keep him a secret, he was actually willing and waiting to declare Aaron his boyfriend. 

Robert stopped typing to look seriously at him. ‘No, I know. I didn’t mean that.’ Once again he pulled Aaron to him, this time by his belt loops. ‘I’m just looking forward to people knowing that you’re my boyfriend; that we’re a couple.’

‘You’re a soft sod, you know that,’ though he smiled when Robert kissed him gently.

Pulling back from the kiss, Robert’s smile turned teasing. ‘Besides, you’re not gonna be anyone’s trophy with that frayed tie you have.’

Aaron bit his lip, suddenly remembering the tie in question: the last time it had been intact was just before Scrappy’s teeth got hold of it after a meeting that Aaron had attended.  
A sign, he thought, a sign that he couldn’t go; that he _shouldn’t_ go.

‘Surely Adam has one?’ Robert suggested.

‘No, he borrowed his from Finn.’ About to tell Robert that maybe he shouldn’t go, Aaron was once again curtailed by the adoring look in Robert’s eyes. Robert had done so much for him over the past few months: the trial, Liv, his Mum. This was the least he could do. ‘I’ll borrow one from Cain,’ he said, swallowing his anxiety.

‘Cain?!’

‘Yeah, he had to wear one for his wedding.’

‘Huh. And here I was thinking he had worn dungarees and a straw hat.’ Robert laughed and pulled Aaron back to his chest when his boyfriend’s face scrunched in offence. ‘I’m joking! Go and borrow a tie from your housetrained uncle.’

****

Aaron had never walked to Butler’s Farm slower than he was doing today. He played through every scenario he could think of to cancel going to the business do with Robert. Everything from helping his Mum at the pub, to paying Liv to fake an injury. All of them ended the same though: Robert’s crestfallen face, and he just couldn’t do that do him. Aaron knew how important _image_ was to his boyfriend, and for him to want Aaron to be on his arm for a fancy work do, well that meant a lot. It was only a scant year and a half ago that Robert would have done anything to make sure no one knew about his affair with a man; that everyone knew that he had a gorgeous wife on his arm, and not a scruffy scrapyard worker. Now he wanted the scruffy scrapyard worker with him everywhere he went and Aaron wasn’t about to lie: it felt good. But he couldn’t help thinking that he’d let Robert down somehow. He’d say something stupid, or commit some kind of social faux pas. And he couldn’t care less what people thought of him—he’d never have to see them again—but he was worried about what kind of impression they’d have of Robert if they learned that his partner was some uncouth lad.

Before he was even aware of it, he was at the front door of the farm. He couldn’t bring himself to knock. It was like signing his death warrant. But then the door opened from the inside and Holly’s smiling face greeted him. ‘Oh! Hey Aaron!’

‘Hiya. Um, is Cain in?’

‘Yeah, he and Mum are cooking.’ She looked at him closely, her eyes narrowing. ‘Are you alright?’

Aaron nodded. ‘Fine.’

‘No you’re not. You must’ve forgotten how well I know you.’ She smiled at him, and he remembered—behind all of the needing Adam to think he wasn’t gay—why he liked her so much. He grimaced in response.

‘It’s nothing. I just need to speak to Cain.’

She looked uncomfortable at the thought of leaving him to it, but she was right about one thing: she knew Aaron all too well, and she knew that pushing him for an answer just didn’t work most days. ‘Okay. Well, you know I’m here to talk.’ She held up her phone to demonstrate she was just on the other end of it, then walked off down the driveway.

‘Thought I heard your voice,’ Moira said, suddenly at the doorway. ‘Come in, love. I’ll stick the kettle on.’ Aaron grunted a thank you, and nodded a greeting to his uncle who was stirring something on the stove. ‘Sit down, Aaron. It’s still milk and two, isn’t it?’ she asked, holding up a mug.

‘Yeah. Thanks.’ He sat in relative silence for a moment, listening to what smelled like a stew boiling in the pot. It was so domestic; the setting so different from the one he had seen Cain in when Aaron left for France. Back then he was living with Debbie, messed up, and recovering from a near-death experience at the hands of Zak. He was settled now, living a happily married life. He wondered if this is what he and Robert would be like years down the line. He could think of nothing better.

‘What’s up with you, lad?’ Cain said after clanging the wooden spoon against the pot, clearly done with his side of the cooking. ‘Your face looks like a smacked backside.’

‘Cain!’ Moira chided. ‘Ignore him, Aaron; he’s been in a bad mood all day.’

To be honest, Aaron was so used to his uncle’s moods after years of working with him at the garage that he barely even noticed anymore. He smiled at Moira all the same. 

‘Nothing’s up,’ he grunted. ‘I need to borrow a tie, that’s all.’

‘A tie?’ Moira said. She put the mug of tea in front of him. ‘What’s the occasion?’

‘You do know it’s my wedding tie, don’t you?’ Cain said. ‘You get anything on it, or do anything weird with it—’

‘Don’t be gross!’ Aaron protested. ‘It’s for this fancy work party thing that Robert’s going to.’ (They had put aside a tie especially for certain nights: one that could stand being wrenched about and chewed on when Robert got too loud.)

‘Why doesn’t he ask me himself then? Or get his own flamin’ tie.’

Aaron rolled his eyes. ‘It’s not for him, it’s for me. He wants me to go with him.’

‘That’s lovely, Aaron,’ Moira smiled. When Aaron didn’t say anything in response, she frowned a little and sat beside him. ‘Isn’t it?’

Aaron shrugged. ‘I dunno. I’m not really cut out for that kind of thing. Y’know, rubbing shoulders with the likes of them.’

‘You’re not wrong, lad,’ Cain said. ‘Bunch of schmoozers, the lot of ‘em. Still don’t know what you see in Sugden.’

‘Not helping, Cain.’ Moira glared at her husband until he backed down. ‘What brought this on, Aaron?’

‘Just thinkin’ about doin’ the whole sophisticated boyfriend bit, y’know. That’s not me.’

‘What, and you think Sugden doesn’t know that?’

‘Cain, seriously!’

‘No, I just mean that he knew what he was getting when he took up with our Aaron. Little scruff that he is.’

‘Yeah, great thanks, I feel loads better now.’ Aaron rose from his seat, ready to storm out of the house. But Cain was one of the few people who could stop him in his tracks.

‘Oi! Cut the attitude and sit down!’ He waited until his nephew was seated again before talking. ‘We’re trying to help you, you stubborn ass!’

‘Coulda fooled me!’

Cain suddenly smirked. ‘See, this is what I mean. Sugden knew what he was signing up for when he got back with you. He knows you’re not sophisticated or any of that stuff. But he still wants to show you off.’

Moira smiled. ‘I hate to admit it, love, but he’s got a point. Robert knows that you’re nothing like Chrissie, but he wants you to be his plus one.’

‘But that’s just it, what if he _does_ want me to be like her? What if he wants the pomp and pretension, and Chrissie’s snobbery?’

‘If he does,’ Cain said, ‘you send him to me. I’ll sort him out.’ Moira threw him another look, and Cain held up his hands.

‘He doesn’t want Chrissie,’ Moira assured him. ‘He wants you.’

‘And if I embarrass him in front of his colleagues? What then?’

‘You won’t embarrass him, lad.’ Cain took a seat next to Aaron, and for the first time during the conversation looked sincere. ‘I’m only gonna say this once, and if you repeat it to him, there’ll be trouble, understand?’ He waited until Aaron, rolling his eyes, nodded. ‘That boy cares about you. He cares a _lot_ about you. Now, you know that I’m not his biggest fan; probably never will be. And neither is Chas. But do you think we’d let him anywhere near you if we didn’t think for a moment that he was serious about you? Especially after everything you went through earlier this year.’ He shook his head. ‘You won’t embarrass him, you idiot. If anything he’s gonna want to make sure that they’re good enough for you.’ 

Aaron sniffed and blinked rapidly. Moira smiled at her husband and then rubbed Aaron’s back. ‘He’s all heart when he wants to be, isn’t he?’ Aaron chuckled and she grinned.

‘Thanks, Cain,’ he said hoarsely, not trusting his voice. 

‘Right. Well.’ His uncle cleared his throat. ‘If you’re gonna get like this, I’ll make myself scarce.’

He left, but Aaron didn’t take offence. Even after everything, Cain still had trouble showing his emotions; so unlike Aaron in that respect, who wore his heart on his sleeve. 

‘Feel better?’ Moira asked.

‘Yeah. Thank you.’

‘You’re everything to that boy, Aaron. And don’t forget it. Now, if I can get Cain to cook a stew, you can go to a business party and show everyone what a lovely couple you and Robert are.’

Aaron wiped his eyes and smiled. Cain came back into the room just as he was finishing off his tea. ‘Here, soft lad.’ He put his wedding tie on the table.

‘Cheers, Cain. I’ll take care of it.’

‘Yeah, well, see that you do. It’s important, that tie.’ He smiled at Moira, who grinned at her husband. 

On his way back to the village, Aaron typed a message to Holly.

_A: Thanks for asking earlier. Everything’s good now. Cain and your Mum helped._

_H: CAIN did?! You sure you talked to the right man?_

_A: Haha_

_H: Nah, he’s alright really. Glad it’s okay now_

_A: Me too. Talk soon_

Then, smiling, he typed another message, this time to Robert.

_A: Got a tie. Was warned not to use it for anything weird ;)_

_R: LOL! Got a good mind to tie you up and send him a photo_

_A: Yeah, that’ll go down well. If you get fed up having your jaw intact, you do that_

_R: Oh well, best not. Need my jaw, don’t I ;)_

Aaron grinned and shook his head.

_A: What are you like eh. Almost home. See you soon x_

_R: You love it. See you soon Baby xx_

****

‘You look good,’ Robert commented from behind Aaron.

‘Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself.’ He grinned to show that Robert looked a lot more than ‘not so bad’. He couldn’t wait to get home tonight and rip that maroon suit off his boyfriend. Although, the seams on the shoulders seemed to be breaking free anyway. He was getting broader. Aaron swallowed around his suddenly dry throat.

‘That tie works well with the suit,’ Robert said, bringing Aaron out of his fantasy of Robert’s body breaking free of the confines of his suit. ‘You should get your own of that colour.’

Instead of answering, Aaron grabbed Robert by the tie and pulled him to his lips. They kissed softly. ‘What was that for?’ Robert asked.

‘Didn’t know I needed an excuse.’

‘You don’t. Just… took me by surprise, that’s all.’

They kissed through their grinning lips, then Robert was pulling away and holding up Aaron’s jacket so he could put it on. ‘Such a gentleman,’ Aaron simpered jokingly.

‘I like to treat my plus ones well.’

They made to exit their room, when Aaron grabbed Robert’s hand. ‘Hey.’ He looked down shyly, but forced himself to meet Robert’s eyes. ‘Thank you. For, you know, the plus one thing. I’ll try not to embarrass you.’

Robert was smiling, but at the last part, he frowned. ‘Hey, you could never, ever embarrass me. Just be yourself: be moody and kind, and the little scruff that I love, with the attitude that won’t quit.’ He kissed Aaron’s temple. ‘I’m gonna be the proudest man at that damned party tonight, being by your side.’

It didn’t escape Aaron’s notice, Robert’s choice of words. _’Being by your side’_. As if it was a privilege for Robert, to be on Aaron’s arm; to be seen with Aaron. He didn’t have to pretend, and Robert didn’t want him to. Aaron owed Cain and Moira a drink: turned out they were right.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert and Aaron attend the business dinner together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! This is a requested follow-up to 'Black tie'. Thank you to smittenwithsugden and DelighfulDonuts for encouraging this! I hope you all enjoy :)

Robert indicated left and caught Aaron biting his nails out of the corner of his eye. He was also jittering his leg, a sure sign that he felt uncomfortable.

‘I hope the steak is better at this dinner than it was at the last one,’ he said, trying to make conversation. Aaron just nodded. ‘Talk about tough! Needed a chainsaw to cut it.’ Silence. ‘The salmon was good, though. You would’ve liked it—I know you’re not big on fish, but it was really divine.’ 

‘Right.’

Silence again, and Robert clenched his hands around the steering wheel. ‘That steak though, like rubber—’

‘Robert shut up! I don’t care about the bloody steak!’ Aaron glared at him.

‘Alright. Sorry. Just tryin’ to make conversation.’

Aaron’s breath gushed out of his lungs in a sharp exhale. ‘I know. Sorry.’

Robert looked at his boyfriend, then at his watch, before pulling into an empty bus stop on the side of the road. Aaron looked around, then at him. ‘What’re you doing? We’re gonna be late.’

‘Do you want to go home?’ Robert asked. ‘Because I can turn around right now, Aaron.’ His eyes were wide with concern.

Aaron frowned. ‘No, don’t be stupid. Come on.’

‘I’m not being stupid. You’re uncomfortable with this, aren’t you?’ Aaron nibbled on his bottom lip. ‘I’d prefer to turn back and go home than for you to feel uncomfortable, Baby.’

‘Well, I’m not gonna be _comfortable_ at this thing,’ Aaron mumbled, looking down at his hands in his lap, picking at the end of the tie. Robert caught his hand in his own and laced their fingers together. ‘But I want to go—I know how much this matters to you.’

‘And you matter more to me,’ Robert said, not skipping a beat. ‘So do you want to go home?’ 

Aaron looked at him closely. There was nothing but concern in his boyfriend’s eyes. No impatience, no frustration. Just love and concern. ‘You’d do that for me? Back out on an important business dinner? For me?’

‘Of course. Aaron,’ he huffed a little laugh, ‘I don’t know how many times, or in how many different ways I have to tell you that _you_ are important to me, and you matter to me. So if you want to go, we’ll go. I’ll call Nicola and tell her I wasn’t feeling well.’

Aaron smiled and shook his head in bewilderment. ‘No. Come on, let’s go, or we’ll be late.’

Robert paused for a moment, searching Aaron’s face. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Yeah. Just don’t, like, leave me in a room with weird strangers.’

‘You know I wouldn’t do that!’ Robert leaned over the gearstick and kissed Aaron lightly. ‘Are you sure, though? I don’t mind turning back. Or we could stop for a cheeky Nandos.’

Aaron looked at him and burst into laughter. ‘Did you seriously just say that?!’

Robert grinned widely. ‘Made you laugh, didn’t it?’

‘Muppet!’ He shook his head at his boyfriend, and nodded to the key in the ignition. ‘C’mon. Or we’ll be late.’

He started the car again, but before he pulled back onto the road, Robert pulled Aaron’s hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. ‘Hey. Thank you for doing this for me. And I promise, the _second_ you start to hate it, we’ll leave. Okay?’

Aaron nodded. He watched Robert indicate back onto the road, watched him get back into the right lane, and then the words fell out of his mouth unexpectedly. ‘I love you.’

Robert turned to him and smiled. He put his hand on Aaron’s thigh and carried on driving.

****

They arrived at the hotel which Seymour Grange was hosting the business dinner at, and Robert swerved into an empty parking space. Aaron took a deep breath and looked around. There were a lot of cars here but, he reminded himself, this _was_ a hotel, so all of these wouldn’t be here for the dinner. 

‘You okay?’ Robert asked, putting his hand on Aaron’s thigh.

‘Yeah, yeah. Just, a lot of cars here.’

‘They’re not all here for the dinner,’ Robert said. ‘Stick with me, you’ll be fine.’

Aaron smiled and breathed through his panic, and when Robert got out of the car, he followed him. Robert took him by the hand and started to lead him to the main door. Then he looked down at their laced fingers, and back at Aaron. ‘This is alright, isn’t it?’ he asked tentatively.

‘Yeah. Course.’ It was so good to know that Robert wouldn’t pretend that they were just friends, or leave their relationship to peoples’ own discretion. Not that he thought he would, after his comments this afternoon about showing him off and being by Aaron’s side, but no doubt if he hadn’t taken his hand, Aaron’s anxieties would have found some way to muscle themselves to the front of his mind. He gripped Robert’s hand tighter. _’Just be yourself,’_ he told himself. _’But don’t embarrass Robert either.’_

Robert announced his name to the receptionist, and handed his invitation to him. Whilst remaining professional, the receptionist seemed unable to take his eyes off Robert and Aaron joined hands, and Robert got more and more polite to the point of being brusque the longer he talked to him.

As soon as they left, Aaron let out a breath and felt frustrated tears in his eyes. ‘You should’ve brought Vic,’ he said, voice shaking. ‘At least they wouldn’t have stared then!’

Robert stopped, and pulled Aaron close to him. He put his hands on his shoulders and made sure that he captured Aaron’s blue eyes in his own. ‘Aaron. Baby. You’re my boyfriend; more than that, you’re my _partner_. Who cares about one stupid man staring at us, eh?’

‘And what if this Mr Grange stares as well, eh? What then?’

Robert shrugged. ‘Then we say bye-bye Mr Grange. And I think Nicola would feel the same.’ Aaron calmed his breathing. ‘Come on.’ Robert kissed him on the forehead and took his hand again. ‘Let’s go get a drink, yeah? See if that will help.’

The drinks were, naturally, expensive. Robert kept to tap water, as he was driving and he wanted to be alert for both business talk and gauging Aaron’s state. But for Aaron, Robert got him a pint. Aaron raised his eyebrow when he saw it. ‘You know you don’t need to get me drunk, don’t you?’ he said, chuckling. ‘I’m going home with you tonight.’

‘I should bloody hope so!’ Robert grinned. He sipped his water, then leaned in to Aaron and pointed over to a group of ladies in the corner. ‘See them? No, over there, next to the painting. They were the first ones to sign one of the contracts with Nicola. Said they bonded over frustrating husbands, apparently!’

That got Aaron to smile. ‘I feel sorry for Jimmy sometimes.’

‘So do I.’ He grinned. ‘Then I remember what she was like in bed and, not so much.’

Aaron’s head turned slowly in his direction. He caught Robert’s playful look and bit his lip, trying to hold back a grin. Instantly, he was at ease. ‘You’re a dick, you know that?’ he said. Then he nudged his shoulder against Robert’s. ‘She better than me?’

Robert grinned, all teeth, and swung his arm around his boyfriend’s waist. ‘No one is better than you!’

‘And don’t forget it.’

‘I’m not likely to.’ He looked behind him and lowered his voice to a whisper. ‘I can still feel you from earlier.’ He took great pleasure in seeing an endearing blush spread across Aaron’s cheeks. He kissed Aaron’s ear, then shifted his grip back to his hand. ‘Come on, let’s mingle. That’s what I’m here for, after all.’

The heat between them faded, but didn’t dissipate completely. Robert pulled Aaron along, so that he was walking beside Robert, not behind him. Each time Robert introduced Aaron as his boyfriend, people looked surprised, but not in an unkind way. There were several other same sex couples at the dinner, and that put Aaron slightly more at ease: he wasn’t jeopardising Robert’s business chances just by being on his arm tonight. That didn’t seem to be the way Seymour Grange operated.

There were a few who made as little small talk as they could before they left Robert and Aaron’s company, clearly uncomfortable with the two men holding hands, but Aaron just rolled his eyes at them. 

But as they were making their way back to the bar, Robert suddenly stopped and tried to drag Aaron in the opposite direction. ‘Robert!’ Aaron hissed. ‘What are you doing?’

‘That guy, there, talking to Sylvie Winters. He’s vile. C’mon, let’s—’

‘Robert!’

Too late. Robert sighed and put on his most professional face. ‘Hello, Keith,’ he greeted coolly. Aaron looked at him in surprise. He hadn’t heard Robert address anyone like that tonight. 

‘I’m surprised to see you here tonight,’ the man went on. He had a very judgemental voice, Aaron noticed, and a face that immediately put him on edge. 

‘Really? Why’s that?’

Keith leaned in, as if he were imparting a secret. ‘I heard that the Whites kicked you out of their business.’

‘I bought into another business,’ Robert said. Beside him, Aaron shifted uncomfortably. This guy was clearly someone from Robert’s past; he wouldn’t be surprised if Robert glossed over Aaron completely. He knew how important his previous heterosexual image was to Robert, especially with people who knew him via the Whites.

His movement caught Keith’s eye, and he turned a predatory gaze on him. ‘And last time I saw you, you had a beautiful woman on your arm. This time, you’ve brought a friend.’

Aaron felt his nostrils flaring and his jaw clench, but he daren’t say anything. He knew that anything that came out of his mouth would embarrass Robert right now. So he stayed quiet. What he didn’t expect, though, was for Robert to turn even colder towards the man. ‘This is my boyfriend,’ he said. ‘Aaron Dingle, this is Keith Saunders.’

‘Boyfriend?’ He looked Robert up and down disparagingly. He didn’t even spare Aaron a glance. ‘I never had you down as the type, Robert.’

‘What do you mean, _type_?’ Aaron said, not able to contain himself. He immediately regretted it, and Robert clenched his hand tighter around Aaron’s.

‘Oh, no offence, but Robert was always such a ladies’ man. Nothing against you, Mr Dingle, you seem like a charming young man.’

‘I found something better in Aaron, Keith,’ Robert said. 

‘I’m sure,’ Keith said, the smirk growing on his face when he saw Robert’s agitation. Business people really were ruthless, Aaron decided. ‘Boredom, was it? Fancied something a bit different?’

‘I’d appreciate it if you didn’t infer things about me and my partner that you know nothing about,’ Robert said. He was seething underneath, Aaron could read him like a book, but he somehow kept his cool as much as he could. ‘Now, if you’d excuse me, we’re going to get a drink.’

As soon as they were out of eye and earshot, Robert let out a long sigh. Aaron eyed him warily. ‘You okay?’ he asked carefully. He didn’t want to upset his boyfriend further. He had already done enough, after all, just by being his ‘plus one’ instead of a woman. He _really_ should have brought Vic.

But Robert drew him close and wrapped him in his arms. ‘Sorry,’ he said, when he let Aaron go. ‘Just needed that.’

Aaron smiled. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘For… saying what you did.’

Robert brushed his hand across Aaron’s shoulders and down till he was holding his biceps. Were they alone, he would have had Aaron pressed against the nearest wall, mouth on his, tearing at his clothes. He settled for kissing him on the lips gently, before ordering more drinks.

****

The dinner itself was incredible. Aaron made a very embarrassing noise as soon as the lamb touched his tongue, which was thankfully covered by the conversations going on around them. Robert heard though, tuned as he was to Aaron’s every movement and sound, and he grinned. ‘I’ll make you make that noise again later,’ he whispered seductively into his ear. Aaron pushed him away, but couldn’t stop his own smile.

‘And you must be Mr Sugden,’ said a man who suddenly appeared as if out of nowhere. Robert looked up and jumped to his feet. 

‘Mr Grange. Wonderful to see you.’ They shook hands, and Robert gestured to the empty chair opposite them. ‘Please, take a seat.’

Grange sat and smiled at them both. He was a middle aged man, but had the look in his eye of someone much younger. He put Aaron in mind of a younger Rishi Sharma, and he instantly took a liking to him. ‘I’ve just been making the rounds,’ Grange said, ‘getting to meet all of the people that I may be doing business with.’

Robert smiled. ‘We’ve heard a lot about your business, Mr Grange, how you built it up from practically nothing.’

‘Have you? You and your… business partner?’ He nodded to Aaron.

‘No, no, sorry. Let me introduce you: this is Aaron Dingle, my boyfriend.’

‘Very pleased to meet you,’ Grange said. He reached over the water jug in the middle of the table to shake Aaron’s hand. ‘Sorry, didn’t mean to presume.’

‘It’s fine,’ Aaron said. ‘No need to apologise.’

The man smiled and turned his attention back to Robert, talking business again. Now and then, he included Aaron in the conversation, asking about what he did, and how he was enjoying himself tonight. Aaron was happy enough to let Robert lead the conversation, however, and felt completely at ease, just being by Robert’s side.

Grange eventually moved away, and Robert returned to his (by now cold) meal. Aaron nudged him. ‘What?’ Robert said.

‘It’s nice to see you in your element like this,’ Aaron said. ‘All charming and stuff.’ He took a sip of his pint. ‘Bit of a turn on, actually.’

Robert choked on his potato, and Aaron had to smack him on the back, smiling at people who looked around curiously at the commotion. ‘You did that on purpose,’ Robert accused once he had got himself under control. Aaron smiled and didn’t deny it. ‘I thought you didn’t like me being all business-like when I was with the Whites?’

‘That’s ‘cause you were smarmy then,’ Aaron said. ‘But now, you’re just you but a bit more polite. And with this weird work laugh.’

‘I do not have a weird work laugh!’

‘You do, mate!’ Aaron made a little tittering sound, and Robert slapped his thigh.

‘Shut up! I don’t sound like that!’

‘You do!’ Aaron laughed, but took pity on his boyfriend when he started to turn red. ‘It’s okay. They all do it as well. We all have a work laugh.’

‘Yeah? Do _you_?’

In response, Aaron made the daintiest sounding laugh Robert had ever heard and he guffawed. 

****

‘Did you enjoy yourself tonight?’ Robert asked, on their way back to the car.

Aaron nodded. ‘Yeah. Surprisingly. Knackered now, though.’

‘Mm. I could see you flagging in there.’ He got the key out of his pocket and went to unlock the door, when Aaron grabbed it from him.

‘Haven’t you been drinking?’ Aaron said.

Robert frowned as if he were mad. ‘No. You know I haven’t been. I’ve been on water all night.’

Aaron leaned in and smelled his breath. ‘No, you’ve definitely been drinking.’ Robert was about to open his mouth again, when Aaron said with deliberate slowness, ‘Maybe we should book a room for the night?’

Robert’s eyes widened as he realised what his boyfriend was getting at, and then his mouth settled into a seductive grin. ‘That’s true. Can’t have me driving when I’ve been drinking, can we?’

‘Definitely not.’ Aaron leaned in for a hot, lingering kiss, then took Robert’s hand and led him back to reception. This time, when the receptionist gave them a look when Robert asked for a room for the night, Aaron felt nothing but pride, knowing that the gorgeous successful man was all _his_. 

‘Thank you,’ Aaron said, as they walked to their room. ‘For tonight. And for speaking like that in front of that twat earlier.’ He kissed Robert on the cheek. ‘And thank you for trusting that I wouldn’t embarrass you.’

Robert unlocked the door and pulled Aaron into the room by his jacket. He kissed him soundly. ‘Told you that you could _never_ embarrass me,’ he said. He took off Aaron’s tie first, knowing that Cain would kill him if anything happened to it. Aaron watched his boyfriend place the tie on the stool in front of the vanity table and smiled, thinking back to his conversation with Cain and Moira the day before. Robert really had shown him tonight that he cared about Aaron, from the moment they left the house to now. Not that Aaron was ever in any doubt, but in a new environment, it was good to be reassured of the fact. _‘I owe them_ two _drinks,’_ he thought.

Then Robert gathered him in his arms, and thanking Cain and Moira was the last thing on his mind.

**Author's Note:**

> Come have a nosy on tumblr!: [](http://www.portinastorm.tumblr.com)Port in a Storm


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